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Physics Key Formulas
Physics Key Formulas
We can also use the First Law to help with problems for bodies that are not
1. The First Law in equilibrium, provided there is no resultant force on them in a particular
This is mainly used to find unknown forces, by using it in the form: direction. In cases like this it is used together with the Second Law – see
later for examples.
If a body is at rest or moving with constant velocity, there must be Typical Exam Question
no resultant force on it. An aircraft of mass 11 000kg, which moves at a constant velocity,
v, and constant altitude, is powered by propellers and experiences
a drag force.
Tip: It is important to note that the body must be moving with constant (a) Draw a labelled free body diagram showing the 4 main forces
velocity, not just constant speed – the body must move at a steady speed acting on the aircraft. [4]
and always in the same direction. A body moving in a circle may move (b) The thrust from the propellers is 225kN and the drag force is
at a steady speed, but still has a resultant force on it. given by 10v2. Calculate the aircraft’s level flight speed.[2]
(a) Lift vertically upward ü weight vertically downward ü
thrust forwardsü drag backwardsü
A body that is at rest or moving with constant velocity is said to be in (b) For level flight, horizontal forces are equal:
equilibrium. Factsheets 2 Vectors and Forces and 4 Moments and 225000 = 10v2 ü
Equilibrium give details on how to solve problems about bodies in v = 150ms-1 ü
equilibrium, but the general strategy is:
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Applying Newton's Laws Physics Factsheet
Unit kilogram newton This form is only valid if mass is constant. However, since the examination
vector (since it is a force) does not require you to consider variable mass, this is not a problem.
Scalar/ scalar
vector Note that both F and a are vectors – the force determines not only the size
of the acceleration, but also its direction – a body accelerates in the direction
For any body, W = Mg, where W is its weight (N), M is its of the resultant force on it.
mass (kg) and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Second law problems – like any other mechanics problem – require you to
draw a clear diagram, including all the forces acting on a body. You then
Weight always acts vertically downwards from the centre of mass of
need to:
the body.
♦ Resolve forces in the direction in which acceleration is taking place,
and use F = ma, where F is the resultant force in that direction.
♦ If necessary, resolve forces perpendicular to the direction of
2. The Third Law acceleration, and use the fact that the resultant force is zero.
We are considering the third law next because a good understanding of both ♦ If two bodies are involved, use the third law to identify equal forces
first and third law is necessary to approach some second law problems.
Here, we will be applying the third law to bodies in contact, or connected The following examples illustrate common ways of using the second law.
by a rope. It tells us that, for example:
♦ the downward force you exert on the floor by standing on it is the
same size as the upward force the floor exerts on you Showing the second law is equivalent to F = ma
♦ if you walk a dog on a lead, the tension in the lead acting on you (due The second law states that force is proportional to the rate of change of
to the dog tugging you) is of the same magnitude as the tension in the momentum.
lead acting on the dog, tugging it towards you. Since momentum is given by mass × velocity, this means force is
♦ when you push on a door, the door pushes back on you with the same proportional to the rate of change of (mass × velocity).
magnitude force. If we assume mass is constant, then this becomes:
mass × (rate of change of velocity)
Example 2. Two children are playing “tug-of-war”. One of them suddenly But rate of change of velocity is acceleration.
lets go of the rope. Explain why the other child may fall over, and explain
the direction in which s/he falls. So we have force is proportional to mass × acceleration – or, as an
equation, F ∝ ma, or F = kma, where k is a constant of proportionality.
When both children are tugging the rope, the force each child exerts on the
rope is equal and opposite the force the rope exerts on the child – the rope
We get rid of the constant k by defining the newton to be such that a
pulls each child forward, and the child tries to pull the rope backwards. When
force of 1N gives a mass of 1kg an acceleration of 1ms-2
one child lets go, the tension in the rope is removed. The other child is still
exerting the same backward pull on the rope, but there is now no compensating
forward pull on the child. So the child falls backwards.
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Applying Newton's Laws Physics Factsheet
Example 3.A box of mass 2kg is being towed along a rough horizontal Example 5. A slimming club is situated at the top of a tall building; to
surface by a person pulling it on a string. The string is at 30o to the motivate its clientele, the club has installed its own lift which contains a
horizontal, and its tension is 10N. The box is accelerating at 1.0ms-2. weighing machine. The lift accelerates uniformly at 1.0ms-2 for 90% of
Taking g = 9.81ms-2, find: its journey, both going up and coming down.
(a) the frictional force acting on the box. Taking g = 10ms-2, calculate:
(b) the magnitude of the normal reaction force exerted by the ground on (a) The resultant force required to accelerate a person whose mass is80kg
the box T = 40N at 1.0ms-2.
R ea ctio n = R (b) The reading (in kg) on the weighing machine when the 80kg person
30o stands on it as the lift accelerates upwards.
(c) The reading (in kg) of the machine when the same person stands on
it as it accelerates downwards.
F rictio n = F
Example 4
A car of mass 800kg is towing a trailer of mass 300kg up a road inclined They are in contact with the scales, which are pushing them upwards.
at 1o to the horizontal . The car exerts a constant driving force, and starting Their weight acts downwards.
from rest, achieves a speed of 10ms-1 in 50 seconds. The frictional forces on
the car and trailer are constant, and of magnitude 150N and 100N So for the person, we have
respectively. Take g = 10ms-2
Find: (a) the driving force of the car force of scales
(b) the tension in the tow bar. on person = F
R1
D = d rivin g fo rce
R2
T T weight = 80g
150 800g
100 We also know that the resultant force on the person is 80N upwards, from
300g (a). This gives us:
1o F – 80g = 80
(a) We first need to work out the acceleration from the information given. Now the reading on the scales is worked out from the force the person
Since all the forces are constant, we know the acceleration will be constant, exerts on the scales.
so constant acceleration equations can be used:
Using v = u + at: 10 = a × 50 ⇒ a = 0.2ms-2 The third law tells us that the force exerted by the person on the scales is the
same in magnitude as the force exerted by the scales on the person – so it is
We now need to use F = ma. We must resolve in the direction of the F = 80g + 80 downwards.
acceleration – that is, up the hill
The scales are calibrated to give a mass reading, rather than a “weight”
We can consider the car and trailer together – this will avoid bringing in the reading.
tension in the tow rope:
D – 800gsin1o – 300gsin1o – 100 – 150 = (800 + 300)a = 1100 × 0.2 So the mass reading on the scales will be obtained by dividing the force
So D = 1100 × 0.2 + 800gsin1o + 300gsin1o + 100 + 150 = 662N reading by g.
.(b) Since we need the tension here, we must look at either the car or the trailer This gives F = 80g – 80, and hence a mass reading of (80g – 80)÷g = 72kg
– it doesn’t matter which.
Trailer: T - 100 – 300gsin1o = 300 × 0.2 ⇒ T = 212N
Tip: Many students lose marks by ignoring the weight of the car.
If a hill is involved, the weight will come in to your equations!
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Applying Newton's Laws Physics Factsheet